Commission to look into alleged involvement in business of several United Russia, LDPR lawmakers

September 26, 2012, 10:23 UTC+3The agenda includes "a check into the authenticity and completeness of the information about the income"

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MOSCOW, September 26 (Itar-Tass) — The commission for control over authenticity of income and property declarations led by Vladimir Vasilyev /United Russia faction/ will review the materials on alleged involvement in business of a number of parliamentarians on September 27, the commission said in a press release received by Itar-Tass.

The Commission will check the inquires about the activities of United Russia members Vasily Tolstopyatov, Airat Khairullin, Grigory Anikeyev, Alexei Knyshov, Ilya Kostunov, and Yelena Nikolayeva. Member of the Liberal Democratic Party /LDPR/ faction Vladimir Semyonov will also be checked.

The agenda includes "a check into the authenticity and completeness of the information about the income, property and property obligations submitted by State Duma deputies Vladimir Pekhtin and Andrei Skoch for 2011."

On September 14, the State Duma stripped of deputy head of A Just Russia faction Gennady Gudkov of his lawmaker's mandate, who had engaged in entrepreneurship contrary to the status of deputy.

Vasilyev's commission handled the Gudkov case. It used the materials by the Investigative Committee to strip the parliamentarian of his mandate.

Meanwhile, Gudkov's colleagues and associates sent materials to the State Duma leadership on six representatives of United Russia with the claims similar to those made against Gudkov.

House speaker Sergei Naryshkin said he had received a letter requiring him to initiate a check with respect to several United Russia deputies.

"I've received a letter and sent it to the dedicated committee and the commission led by Vladimir Vasilyev," Naryshkin said.

On September 11, Vasilyev confirmed that the lawmakers named in the latter had been informed about entrepreneurship claims by A Just Russia faction.

On September 20, the Commission announced the results of the check into the activity of five United Russia lawmakers conducted at the request of Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin. Vasilyev said the issue regarding four United Russia members - Vladislav Reznik, Ivan Demchenko, Oleg Lebedv and Adam Delimkhanov had been closed and that the Commission had recognized their explanations as valid. As for Andrei Skoch, the Commission decided to invite him for explanations over the 19 million roubles his father had given him.

Leader of the United Russia faction Andrei Vorobyov earlier assured that if a check with respect to faction members confirmed their involvement in business, they would lose their mandate.

Stripping a lawmaker of his or her status is an extraordinary event. The law sets a clear framework for what a lawmaker can and cannot do. "You have to opt either for business or politics," he warned again, adding that there is no special campaign going in parliament to strip lawmakers of their mandates.